Drawing equipment



April 1967 G. M. DALRYMPLE DRAWING EQUIPMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 1, 1965 INVENTOR. Gum RY M. DALRYMPLE.

April 4, 1967 G. M. DALRYMPLE 3,

DRAWING EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. 1 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 10. F1 g. 11. 7;

77 a (J m 7 S1 g////// l/Y/ \X \\\q\\ k 75 H/ 65 7; 76 62 Fig. 12. Fig.5.

INVENTOR. GLJFQRRY |\/l. DALRYM PLE'.

BY jmwme 50 SM 20m? Affor/ gys United States Patent The present invention relates to drawing apparatus.

Most draftsmen use or are at least familiar with the use of the T-square for drawing parallel lines. The T-square is subject to a number of disadvantages such as the necessity for holding the T-square against the side of the drawing board while a line is being drawn. In certain situations a draftsman may not have the use of both hands and cannot hold the T-square against the drawing board with one hand while he is drawing with the other band. Consequently, one important object of the present invention is to provide drawing apparatus including a straight edge which is automatically firmly held in a position to which it has been adjusted.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved drawing apparatus.

Still another object of this invention is to provide drawing apparatus incorporating a straight edge, said drawing apparatus including means for automatically maintaining said straight edge at a desired angle on a drawing board.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of this invention might include drafting apparatus comprising an elongated element having parallel oppositely facing surfaces, means for mounting said elongated element is spaced relation to a drawing board, a member slidably received on said element, a straight edge mounted on said member, said member having a surface slidably engaging one of said element surfaces, and a roller spring-mounted on said member and engaging the other of said element surfaces to cause said one element surface and said member surface to maintain sliding frictional contact with one another.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of drawing apparatus embodying my present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan of a member of C- shaped cross section forming a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of an elongated element forming a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1 and also showing associated brackets mounted on the elongated element.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the structure illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one of the brackets forming a part of the structure of FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of a roller forming a part of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation of the roller of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a leaf spring a pair of which form a part of the structure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of the structure illustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a section taken through a straight edge and associated structure forming a part of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a triangle used with the drawing apparatus of the present invention.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alter-ations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated drafting or drawing apparatus di) which is adapted to and may be mounted upon the drawing board 11 by means of angle brackets 12. As is best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the brackets 12 are secured to an elongated element 15 of I cross-section by means of screws 16 and spacer members 17. The spacer members 17 and the elongated element 15 may be: formed of various materials such as, plastic, metal or fiber with the member 15 being secured to the member 17 by suitable screws or adhesive such as, for example, epoxy cement.

The elongated element 15 has a pair of oppositely facing straight parallel surfaces 20 and 21. A member 25 of C-shape cross section is received upon the elongated element l5 and has an inside surface 26 which slidably engages the surface 21 of the elongated element 15'. The C- shaped member 25 has a web 27 and legs 30 and 31. The web 27 together with the leg 3% and the projection 32 forming a part of the leg 30 defines a hook-shaped configuration which hooks onto the elongated element 15 at its surface 21 and which is maintained in engagement with the elongated element by a spring pressed roller 35.

The roller 35 may be formed integrally with an axle 36 or may be formed separately therefrom and fixed to the axle 36 by any suitable means. The axle 36 includes two oppositely projecting end portions 37 and 40 which are received in indentations 41 and 42 in the C-shaped member 25. The C-shaped member 25 is cut into at its leg 31 to form the opening 45 and the adjoining indentations 41 and 42. The opening -45 receives the roller 35.

Fixed to the C-shaped member 25 by means of suitable screws are a pair of leaf springs 46 and 47. A representative one of the springs 46 and 47 (which are identical) is disclosed in FIGS. 10 and 11. It will be noted that the springs 46 and 47 are curved at their area 50 into a shape corresponding to the shape of the portions 37 and 40 of the axle 36. This curved configuration 50 assists in retaining the axle properly seated within the indentations 41 and 42.

Fixed to the upper surface 55 of the web 27 of the C- shaped member and received between two ribs 59 fixed to the web 27 is a straight edge 60. It should be understood that other drawing surfaces might be used in place of the straight edge 61 for example, some sort of curved edge or possibly a pair of straight edges meeting at a desired angle. Of course, the drawing apparatus of the present invention will always maintain the drawing edge at the same relative angle as the drawing apparatus or the C-shaped member 25 is moved along the elongated member 15.

The operation of the present apparatus should be clear from the above description. It will be. noted that the springs 46 and 47 always operate to yieldably maintain the axle 36 seated in the indentations 41 and 42. The springs further act to yieldably maintain the roller 35 in engagement with the surface Zll of the elongated element 15 to maintain the surfaces 21 and 26 in slidable contact. The springs 46 and 47 have a certain amount of friction action in their engagement with the axle portions 37 and 40. Also the engagement between the elongated element surface 21 and the surface 26 of the Oshaped member includes a certain amount of sliding friction. In all cases the above mentioned friction is greater when the straight edge 60 is stationary and the friction surfaces are not moving with respect to one another than it is when the surfaces are moving with respect to one another. For the above reason, the straight edge of the present invention will maintain any position to which it is adjusted along the elongated element even though the elongated element is at an angle with respect to the horizontal in its moun ing on the drawing board 11.

An additional feature of the present invention which is of particular value to a draftsman not having the use of both hands is illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 12. The drawing edge portion 61 of the straight edge 60 is spaced from the surface 62 of the drawing board illl by the distance 65. Also the main portion 66 of the straight edge is spaced away from the edge portion 61 so that inking can be accomplished without danger of smearing. The straight edge 60 is provided with a groove 67 which extends along the straight edge in parallel relation to the edge 70 of the edge portion 61 and which slidably receives a complementary projection 71 on a triangle 72. Thus, the triangle 72 is always maintained at the same attitude by the straight edge 60 as the triangle is moved along the groove 67 facilitating the drawing of parallel lines by a person not having the use of both hands. A leaf spring 75 is mounted on the projection v7ll by a screw 76 and functions to maintain the edge 7 ii of the portion 61 in contact with the surface 77 of the triangle.

From the above description, it will be clear that the present invention provides drawing apparatus including a straight edge which is automatically and firmly held in any position to which it has been adjusted, It will also be evident that the present invention provides an improved drawing apparatus which incorporates a drawing edge and in which the drawing edge is automatically maintained at a desired angle on a drawing board.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. Drafting apparatus comprising an element, means for mounting said element in spaced relation to a drawing board, a member slidably received on said element, a drawing edge mounted on said member, said member having a surface slidably engaging said element, a roller having oppositely projecting axle portions, and leaf springs fixed to said member and bearing against said axle portions to urge said roller against said element and said surface into engagement with said element.

2. Drafting apparatus comprising an elongated element having parallel oppositely facing surfaces, means for mounting said elongated element in spaced relation to a drawing board, a member slidably received on said element, a straight edge mounted on said member, said member having a surface slidably engaging one of said element surfaces, a roller having oppositely projecting axle portions, and leaf springs fixed to said member and bearing against said axle portions to urge said roller against the other of said element surfaces to cause said one element surface and said member surface to maintain sliding frictional contact with one another.

3. Drafting apparatus comprising an element having a pair of parallel oppositely facing straight surfaces; means for mounting said element on a drawing board in spaced relation thereto; a member received on said element and having a recess proportioned to slidably receive one of the parallel surfaces; a straight edge secured to said member; a roller; an axle fixed to said roller coaxially thereof and having two end portions each extending on an opposite side of said roller; said member having a portion cut away to define an opening for said roller and a pair of indentations for said axle; a pair of leaf springs each fixed to said member and each urging a respective one of said axle end portions into its respective indentation and urging said roller against the other straight surface of said element and said element into said member recess.

4. Drafting apparatus comprising an element having a pair of parallel oppositely facing straight surfaces; means for mounting said element on a drawing board in spaced relation thereto; a member of C-shaped crosssection received on said element with the C-shaped crosssection opening downwardly; a straight edge secured to said C-shaped member; said C-shaped member having inside surfaces defining a recess proportioned to slidably receive and hook onto one of the parallel surfaces of said element; a roller, an axle fixed to said roller coaxially thereof and having two end portions each extending on an opposite side of said roller; said C-shaped member having portion thereof cut away to define an opening for said roller and a pair of indentations for said axle; a pair of leaf springs each fixed to said C-shaped member and each urging a respective one of said axle end portions into its respective indentation and urging said roller against said element and said element into said C-shaped member recess; said element, C-shaped member, springs, and axle having sufficient friction at their slidably engaging surfaces to cause said straight edge to retain a position to which it is adjusted even though said element extends other than horizontally.

5. Drafting apparatus comprising an elongated element having a pair of parallel oppositely facing straight surfaces; brackets secured to said elongated element at the bottom thereof and adapted for mounting said element on a drawing board in spaced relation thereto; a member of C-shaped cross-section received on said elongated elernent with the C-shaped crosssection opening downwardly; said C-shaped member including a web connecting two legs; a straight edge secured to said C-shaped member; said C-shaped member having inside surfaces on said web and one of said legs defining a recess proportioned to slidably receive and hook onto one of the parallel surfaces of said elongated element; a roller, an axle fixed to said roller coaxially thereof and having two end portions each extending on an opposite side of said roller; said C-shaped member having a portion of its Web and the other of its legs cut away to define an opening for said roller and a pair of indentations for said axle; one of said indentations being in said other leg and the other of said indentations being in said web; a pair of leaf springs each fixed to said C-shaped member and each urging a respective one of said axle end portions into its respective indentation and urging said roller against said elongated element and said elongated element into said Oshaped member recess; said elongated element, C-shaped member, springs, and axle having sulficient friction at their slidably engaging surfaces to cause said straight edge to retain a position to which it is adjusted even though said elongated element extends other than horizontally.

6. Drafting apparatus comprising an elongated element having a pair of parallel oppositely facing straight surfaces; brackets secured to said elongated element at the bottom thereof and adapted for mounting said element on a drawing board in spaced relation thereto; a member of C-shaped cross-section received on said elongated element with the C-shaped cross-section opening downwardly; said C-shaped member including a web connecting two legs; a straight edge secured to said C-shaped member; said C-shaped member having inside surfaces on said web and one of said legs defining a recess proportioned to slidably receive and hook onto one of the parallel surfaces of said elongated element; a roller, an axle fixed to said roller coaxially thereof and having two end portions each extending on an opposite side of said roller; said C-shaped member having a portion of its Web and the other of its legs cut away to define an opening for said roller and a pair of indentations for said axle; one of said indentations being in said other leg and the other of said indentations being in said Web; a pair of leaf springs each fixed to said C-shaped member and each urging a respective one of said axle end portions 10 into its respective indentation and urging said roller against said elongated element and said elongated element into said C-shaped member recess; said leaf springs being curved at the engagement of said springs and axle to provide complementary recess in said springs receiving said axle; said elongated element, C-shaped member, springs, and axle having sufii-cient friction at their slidably engaging surfaces to cause said straight edge to retain a position to which it is adjusted even though said elongated element extends other than horizontally.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 986,248 3/1911 Van Duyne 33-76 1,149,120 8/1915 Fortune 3379 2,627,323 2/1953 Larson 33-76 X 2,874,474 2/1959 Beebe et a1. 33-76 FOREIGN PATENTS 998,966 9/1951 France.

875,314 4/ 1953 Germany.

101,538 5/1941 Germany.

LEONARD FORMAN, Primary Examiner. H. N. HAROIAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DRAFTING APPARATUS COMPRISING AN ELEMENT, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID ELEMENT IN SPACED RELATION TO A DRAWING BOARD, A MEMBER SLIDABLY RECEIVED ON SAID ELEMENT, A DRAWING EDGE MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBER, SAID MEMBER HAVING A SURFACE SLIDABLY ENGAGING SAID ELEMENT, A ROLLER HAVING OPPOSITELY PROJECTING AXLE PORTIONS, AND LEAF SPRINGS FIXED TO SAID MEMBER AND BEARING AGAINST SAID AXLE PORTIONS TO URGE SAID ROLLER AGAINST SAID ELEMENT AND SAID SURFACE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ELEMENT. 